The divine life in three treatises

It is a most lamentable delusion of some Christians that think their ascending to higher degrees of Holiness, doth partly consist in their withdrawing from the Catholic Church, or from the Communion of most of the Saints on Earth, upon the account of some smaller differing opinions; And they think that they should become more loose, and leave their strictness, if they should hold a Catholic Communion, and leave their state of separation, and division! Is there any strictness amiable or desirable, except a strict Conformity to God? Surely a strict way of sin and wickedness is not desirable to a Saint. And is not God One, and his Church One, and hath he not commanded all his servants to be One, and is not Love the new and great commandment▪ by which they must be known to all men to be his Disciples? Which then is the stricter servant of the Lord? he that Loveth much, or he that Loveth little? he that Loveth all Christians, or he that Loveth but a few, with the special Love? He that Loveth a Christian as a Christian; or he that Loveth him but as one of his party or opinion? He that is One in the Catholic Body; Or he that disowneth Communion with the ⟨p. 21⟩far greatest part of the body? Will you say that Christ was loose, and Pharisees strict, because Christ eat and drank with Publicans and Sinners, and the Pharisees condemned him for it? It was Christ that was stricter in holiness then they; for he abounded more in Love and Good works; but they were stricter then he in a proud, self-conceited morosity and separation. Certainly he that is highest in Love, is highest in Grace, and not he that confineth his Love to few. Was it not the weak Christian that was the stricter, in point of meats and drinks and days? Rom. 14. & 15. But the stronger that were censured by them, did more strictly keep the commandment of God.

It is a most lamentable delusion of some Christians that think their ascending to higher degrees of Holiness, doth partly consist in their withdrawing from the Catholike Church, or from the Communion of most of the Saints on Earth, upon the account of some smaller differing opinions; And they think that they should become more loose, and leave their strictness, if they should hold a Catholike Communion, and leave their state of separation, and division! Is there any strictness amiable or desirable, except a strict Conformity to God? Surely a strict way of sin and wickedness is not desirable to a Saint. And is not God One, and his Church One, and hath he not commanded all his servants to be One, and is not Love the new and great commandment by which they must be known to all men to be his Disciples? Which then is the stricter servant of the Lord? he that Loveth much, or he that Loveth little? he that Loveth all Christians, or he that Loveth but a few, with the special Love? He that Loveth a Christian as a Christian; or he that Loveth him but as one of his party or opinion? He that is One in the Catholike Body; Or he that disowneth Communion with the